michele Fritz (Bridges)

richard fritz

crystal gould

Art is Long, Life is Short social media art project

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Why we do what we do:

Children do not choose the environment they are born into. They do not decide if their childhood will be filled with innocence and wonder, or whether it will be filled with doubt and pain; whether they will be born into poverty or wealth, or whether they will be surrounded by love, or hate. Imagine you are a young boy. You are born into poverty to a father who is incarcerated, and a mother who is hooked on drugs and lives with an abusive boyfriend. At first you are young and trusting. As you grow up however, you begin to realize your life is a constant struggle. You mom's boyfriend hits you when he gets drunk. You feel ashamed that you can't stop him from beating you, your mother or your younger brother. Your mom used to work two jobs, but since getting hooked on drugs, she has stopped going to work. The electricity has turned off in the house. Then the gas turns off. And finally, an eviction notice appears from the landlord. You are torn between what is morally right and what you feel is necessary for your family. Angrily, you lash out. You steal a car, you join a gang. You begin to sell drugs. You get caught. You get thrown into a juvenile detention center. And here begins the cycle. Who is to blame? Time and time again, The Literati Players team has come across stories such as this, and time and time again, the team has questioned the very same thing: Who is to blame, and how can we stop this seemingly endless cycle of destruction? Art is Long, Life is Short is the first of many art projects based on these very issues. We hope you join our cause. By combining art with social consciousness, we truly feel we can begin to shift social perception and break down barriers between people based on race, status, political beliefs, and religion. After all, we are all one.

Literati Players Project

The Literati Players, (a collaborative artist team consisting of Michele Fritz - a professional multimedia artist, Richard Fritz - a professional artist and entrepreneur, Crystal Gould - a professional actor, director and playwright, among other collaborative artists, aims to build community awareness and social consciousness through the power of art. The Literati Players provides public art based projects including community programs in the areas of theater, script writing, and multimedia. The team has over 14 years experience working with youth and adults in community settings, shelters and rehabilitation centers, school environments and detention centers.

We strive to bridge the gap between cultural, demographic and social lines by creating an environment that is artistically rich and offers a fully enhanced personal experience for the participants and the audience at large. By utilizing a multi-media approach, The Literati Players draws on themes based on real life experience and self-expression, ultimately merging art and community cognizance into one.

All artwork images used on this website are the exclusive property of Art by the Yard. All rights reserved. Any other use of these artwork images, without the expressed written consent of the owner, is strictly prohibited. We would be happy to provide info/imagery for publicity purposes with use of credit bi-line. Please contact for more info.